Islamic State group claims responsibility for Moscow concert hall attack, at least 115 dead

Russia said it had arrested 11 people involved in the concert hall attack and reported a new death toll of 115, which it warned could rise.

A law enforcement officer patrols the scene of the gun attack at the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow. Picture: AFP

Russia on Saturday said it had arrested 11 people, including four assailants, involved in the Moscow concert hall attack and reported a new death toll of 115, which it warned could rise.

Friday evening’s attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State, is the deadliest in Moscow for at least a decade.

The Kremlin said the head of the FSB security service had informed President Vladimir Putin about the arrests on Saturday.

“FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov reported to the president on the detention of 11 people, including four terrorists involved in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall,” it said in a statement.

Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said Saturday that at least 93 people had been killed.

“At the moment, it has been established that 93 people are dead. The death toll is expected to rise,” it said in a statement published on Telegram.

It said people died both from gunshot wounds and from smoke inhalation after a fire engulfed the packed venue in Moscow’s northern Krasnogorsk suburb.

A view shows the burning Crocus City Hall concert hall following the shooting incident in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow. Picture: AFP

Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the gun attack on the Crocus City concert hall in Moscow’s northern Krasnogorsk suburb on Friday.

IS fighters “attacked a large gathering … on the outskirts of the Russian capital Moscow”, the group said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

The IS statement said the attackers had “retreated to their bases safely”. Russia’s National Guard said it was on the scene and looking for the perpetrators.

The United States had warned Russian authorities earlier in March about a terrorist attack possibly targeting “large gatherings” in Moscow, the White House said Friday.

“Earlier this month, the US government had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow – potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts” and Washington “shared this information with Russian authorities,” US National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said.

Attackers dressed in camouflage uniforms entered the concert hall building, opened fire and threw a grenade or incendiary bomb, according to a journalist for the RIA Novosti news agency at the scene.

Fire quickly spread through the concert hall as smoke filled the building and screaming visitors rushed to emergency exits.

Alexei, a music producer, was about to settle into his seat before the start of a rock concert when he heard “several machine gun bursts” and “a lot of screams”.

“I realised right away that it was automatic gunfire and understood that most likely it’s the worst: a terrorist attack,” said Alexei, who would not give his last name.

As people ran towards emergency exists in the concert hall, “there was a terrible crush” with concert goers climbing on one another’s heads to get out, he added.

Telegram news channels Baza and Mash, which are close to security forces, showed video images of flames and black smoke pouring from the hall.

Other images also showed concert-goers hiding behind seats or trying to escape. Security services quoted by Interfax said between two and five people “wearing tactical uniforms and carrying automatic weapons” opened fire on guards at the entrance and then started shooting at the audience.

Security officers are storming the Crocus City Hall building where several attackers have barricaded themselves.

📹: Beware, News pic.twitter.com/ypNuf1Z6D2

— Novaya Gazeta Europe (@novayagazeta_en) March 22, 2024

A witness told AFP it was a few minutes before the start of the concert by Piknik when automatic gunfire rang out.

About 100 people escaped through the theatre basement, while others were sheltering on the roof, the emergency services ministry said on its Telegram channel.

Three helicopters were involved in efforts to put out the fire, dumping water on the giant concert venue that can hold several thousand people and has hosted top international artists.

Shortly after midnight, the emergencies ministry said the fire had been contained. Moscow governor Andrey Vorobyov later said the flames had been “mostly eliminated”, and rescuers had been able to enter the auditorium.

President Vladimir Putin – who was informed of the attack “within the first minutes”, according to the Kremlin – wished a speedy recovery to the wounded victims, Russia’s deputy prime minister Tatyana Golikova was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

Putin has not commented publicly on the attack.

A law enforcement officer stands guard outside the burning Crocus City Hall concert hall. Picture: AFP

Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said there had been a “terrible tragedy” and Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it had been a “bloody terrorist attack”.

“The whole international community must condemn this odious crime,” she said on Telegram.

Novaya Gazeta newspaper reports that one of the attackers fled the scene, while others barricaded themselves inside the building.

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said Russia would find and destroy Ukraine’s top officials if they were linked to the gun attack.

“If it is established that these are terrorists of the Kyiv regime … all of them must be found and ruthlessly destroyed as terrorists,” Medvedev wrote in a post on Telegram, adding that “official representatives of the state that committed such a crime” would also be punished.

Meanwhile, the main intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian defence ministry on Friday accused Russian secret services of planning the deadly attack.

“The terrorist attack in Moscow was a planned and deliberate provocation by the Russian special services on (Vladimir) Putin’s orders,” the service said on Telegram, adding that the aim was to “further escalate and expand the war” with Ukraine.

The White House said it had no initial indication that Ukraine, which is fighting an invasion by Russia, was involved in the “terrible” attack.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the United States was still gathering information over the shooting and fire.

People outside the burning hall. Picture: AFP

A police dragnet has been set up around the area according to the website SHOT.

The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation said the number of dead and injured in the attack is still being clarified. The Federal Security Service (FSB) confirmed the incident in a statement and said law enforcement agencies were “taking all necessary measures.”

Onlookers watch the burning Crocus City Hall concert hall following the shooting incident in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow. Picture: AFP.

A firefighting helicopter drops water on the burning hall. Picture: AFP

“There is no indication at this time that Ukraine, or Ukrainians, were involved in the shooting,” Kirby told reporters. “I would disabuse you at this early hour of any connection to Ukraine.” Kirby also offered condolences to the victims of the attack, news of which broke minutes before the daily White House briefing.

“The images are just horrible and hard to watch, and our thoughts obviously are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack,” he said.

“You’ve got to recognise that there’s some moms and dads, brothers and sisters and sons and daughters that haven’t gotten the news yet. And this is going to be a tough day.”

Kirby said Washington had no prior knowledge of the attack.

“I’m not aware of any advanced knowledge that we had of this,” adding that he did not believe the earlier warning referred to Friday’s attack.

The US State Department has now warned all Americans to avoid concerts or shopping malls and to stay in place following the latest violence, he added.

A representative of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), a paramilitary group of Russian fighters based in Ukraine, denied any involvement in the attack.“ Obviously, we have nothing to do with this,” a RVC representative told Novaya Europe.

Former state Duma deputy Ilya Ponomaryov told Novaya Europe that the Freedom of Russia Legion he represents was in no way involved with the terrorist attack in Moscow, but thinks the authorities might still try to blame them.

“I think we will be blamed for this, but it’s obvious that no forces that work with us are in any way involved in any actions directed against civilians. It is no less obvious that what has been done has been done by Putin.”

Meanwhile, the European Union said it had been “shocked and appalled” by the attack.“ The EU condemns any attacks against civilians. Our thoughts are with all those Russian citizens,” said a spokesman for the bloc.

France also condemned the “odious” attack. “The images from Moscow tonight are horrifying. Our thoughts go to the victims and to those injured as well as to the Russian people,” the French foreign ministry wrote on X, the former Twitter.

“All effort has to be made to determine the cause of these odious acts,” it added.

With AFP